TPTF: Jokers, Jokers EVERYWHERE
by I.W.P-chan
Summary: One of the things Goro would like to know is the reason why Kurusu Akira keeps popping up all over Tokyo. First in the Phantom Thieves Files series.


Summary: One of the things Goro would like to know is the reason why Kurusu Akira keeps popping up all over Tokyo.

 _Note: is this the day we talk about overworked dad!akiren. doc_

 _So, starting off a fun little series of fics about Goro trying to fit in among the PT and to deal with their shenanigans, in a world where he doesn't work for Shido._

 **Warnings: Persona Prices Are A Pain, Akira Trying To Balance Out PT Budget, Akira And His Multiple Jobs, Akechi Will Forever Be Under Suspicion Of Being A Stalker, 8 Of SP Adhesive 3 [Wallet Cries Tears Of Blood].**

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own P5.

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Goro didn't know what it was about Kurusu's, _Akira's_ , a persistent voice that sound suspiciously like the aforementioned teen sounded in Goro's mind, circumstances that made Akira exist basically everywhere.

Alright. Sure. He was the leader of the Phantom Thieves, the same group Goro himself had unwittingly joined (it was an accident! And apparently they kept secrecy by dragging people into their cult, who knew? Certainly not Goro!), and as such he was given control of the group's funds. Surprisingly, he actually took good care of the budget, if all the items and equipment the team members had on them were any indication, which was something Goro was stunned to see from someone who was younger than him.

Goro had done his own (very stealthy) investigation on the team's costs, and compared the numbers he had to the amount of funds the team easily raised when they went to Mementos. As a result, he found that the team should have more than enough to spare tucked away in case of a rainy day.

Which brought him to his current dilemma.

If the team had so much money, why the heck did their leader overwork himself with multiple jobs all across Tokyo?

Not that Goro stalked him to find that out, and no, he wasn't saying that out of denial.

It was because Akira was freaking. _Everywhere._

Goro meant it. Really.

He truly did.

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The first time Goro noticed Akira while he was working was at the supermarket in Shibuya Central Street. Goro had needed to duck in quickly to get a few things, and found himself staring into Akira's eyes at the cash register.

Akira happened to be the cashier.

Back then, he didn't think much of it, Akira was just another high school student (granted, one that Goro was interested in personally, but was still a regular high school student regardless), so Goro just chalked it up to Akira working the job for extra pocket-money, just like any other high school student would.

The next time, he was walking around Shibuya underground mall, looking for something to get for his apartment (Sae had called his apartment bland, and he'd been miffed about the topic, so he was looking to decorate), which brought him to the flower shop.

Nothing better than a plant to decorate your place with, right?

That was when he received his surprise.

Kurusu Akira, in an apron, standing at attention in the middle of the shop. Like he worked there.

He worked two jobs? Or maybe he dropped the first one? Goro didn't think much on it, plastering on a smile and focusing on his own business.

.

 _Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action_ , Goro thought as he sat down at the beefbowl place located in Central Street, and gave his order to Akira, who went about preparing it with surprising efficiency and speed. Akira placed Goro's order in front of him and went about preparing other customers' orders.

It was crowded, and it was only Akira working behind this particular counter.

Goro took a bite of his food, chewing slowly as he kept his eyes trained on Akira.

Something was definitely up.

.

When he swung by the flower shop the day after, he wasn't even thinking about Akira, he was simply there to get some more fertilizer for the plant he bought last time.

He was met with Akira anyway.

.

Goro frowned as he left the shop, maybe he should start investigating?

.

Goro didn't even need to investigate. Or, well, he didn't need to investigate _Akira_ , because life seemed to have made it its business to make sure the two kept crossing paths unintentionally.

(At least on Goro's part, if Akira was stalking him… then, he was certainly a Grade A Stalker, because not even Goro, who was so used to his rabid fans stalking him that he could easily avoid pursuit, had noticed him.)

He was in Shinjuku, meeting with a reporter in one of the bars when gray eyes and black hair caught his eyes from behind the counter.

It didn't matter that the person was dressed completely differently from what Goro was used to seeing him wear, Goro would recognize Akira anywhere, at this point.

What the hell was he doing in Shinjuku? Working as a bartender? And crossdressing, while he was at it? Goro needed to know.

(He was a detective, after all.)

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Since life seemed stubborn about them meeting each other at the wildest of places, he was not even surprised when he saw him at Shibuya Station Square, helping a politician pack up after a night spent giving a speech.

"Kuru- Akira!" Goro called out to him, and Akira turned his head to look at him, blinking his eyes at Goro in curiosity.

The politician smiled kindly at them both, patting Akira on the back and whispering something into his ear before he left them. Akira nodded absentmindedly and approached Goro.

"Goro, did you want something?"

Goro smiled beatifically, "Oh, I certainly do have some questions for you."

Akira rubbed the back of his neck, clearly nervous, "Oh?"

"Oh, yes." Goro's smile widened, "But how about we locate to someplace more private, hm?"

Akira nodded his head jerkily and shoved his hands into his pocket. Goro gestured in the direction of Central Street, "Let's go, then."

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The two ended up at a diner, seated across from each other as they stared at each other silently.

It was only after their order arrived that Goro started talking, "So I noticed that you seem to be working multiple jobs." He frowned, he'd thought about the situation long and hard in the past few days, and some of the suspicions that popped into his head were of no comfort, "Is there a reason for that? Do you work those jobs simultaneously? Are you in financial trouble?"

Akira stared at him blankly for a few moments before he slumped into his seat, "Our _extra-curricular activities_ are not cheap, we need the money for the items and equipment…"

"But that's not everything." Goro clicked his tongue, "I checked out the prices for most of our inventory, and the amount of funds we get from... our _extra-curricular activities_ should be more than sufficient to cover that."

Akira smiled blandly, "You see, that's where you're missing important information. You can gauge the prices of most of our inventory, but the remaining portion you that can't gauge because you don't have access to its prices is the portion that matters more."

Goro made an inquisitive sound at the back of his throat, "What matters more? I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to elaborate…"

Akira sighed, "Okay. So. You see the adhesive that helps you keep your energy up for Persona skills? It costs fifty thousand yen. Each. And that's after discount. Never mind the enhancement accessories. They can go over twenty thousand yen a piece. _And the Personas, Goro, the_ _ **Personas**_ _!_ " He hissed, the gaze in his eyes going wild behind his glasses.

"What about the Personas?" Goro dreaded asking, but found he couldn't resist his curiosity.

"They cost money, too!" Akira dropped his face into his hands, "The more powerful, the pricier. Unfortunately, I need the strongest Personas I have to fuse with stock material to get better equipment. And I also need to keep getting more and fusing more to get the better Personas. So that's more costs going into it. I know I can use multiple Personas at once, but that means I need to focus on collecting various powerful points in my arsenal instead of focusing on specializing in a single Persona, and I need to keep switching out between sets because the enemies we face keep changing and evolving and getting stronger."

Suddenly, all of Goro's envy towards Joker's ability to use multiple Personas went down the drain.

Goro reached over the table to pat Akira's hand as comfortingly as he could.

.

"Say, how much did the adhesive cost before the discount?"

"One hundred thousand."

"...oh…"

.

End

[itemizes powerful Persona] [summons the Persona again because it has a great skillset] [watches money disappear] [voice cracks] I'm okay


End file.
